Plastic material and process of making the same



ill

Patented May 1, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD L. AIKEN, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO CARBOLOID PROD- UOTS CORPORATION, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PLASTIC MATERIAL AND rnocnss or MAKING THE slum.

Ito Drawing.

My invention relates particularly to compositions of matter which, while basically difi'erent therefrom, have somewhat the same characteristics as phenol aldehyde condensation products but with marked advantages thereover; the invention also relates to the process of making such compositions of matter. My products may be prepared in a onestep process, or when desirable in a multistep process, according to which I first produce intermediate products and then final products, and l generally prefer to have the multi-step process consist of two steps.

My products, both the intermediate and final, have thedesirable characteristics of phenolic condensation products but difier therefrom in that they have highly desirable characteristics which it has been impossible to impart thereto. For example, i can pro duce an intermediate product Which is so thinly fluid that it may be used alone. for the impregnation of porous articles having very fine pores. for example, wood, without the necessity of using a solvent for the purpose of thinning out the liquid sufficiently so that it can penetrate into the fine pores as deeply as it maybe desired.

Furthermore, by suiiicient curing under proper conditions, ll can produce a final intusiblc. insoluble condensation product having the usual desirable characteristics of phenol aldehyde condensation products with the additional advantageous one that it is possible to control the hardness and fiexibility of the same whereby I can produce finished articles which may be bent almost double.

Another very advantageous feature of my invention is that my. products may be cured into their final insoluble. infusible state by the mere application of heat, without the necessity of subjecting the material to pressure. either in the one stage process wherein the final product is made in one operation from the phenylglyceryl compound and a methylene body. or in a multi-stage process according to which I produce intermediate products.

Briefly tated, my invention comprises making a condensation product either intermediate or final, as may be desired, by con Application filed September 23, 1921. Serial No. 502,796.

densing, with a body having available active methylene, a reaction product of phenol and a polyhydric alcohol in place of the phenolic body now generally used. Homologues or substitution products of phenol may be .used in lieu thereof with good results; I prefer phenol, however, but intend the word phenol as used in this description and in the claims to include the equivalent homologues or substitution products of phenol, as well as phenol itself. and I intend the term phenyl to include, similarly, radicals which are the equivalents thereof. A number of the polyhydric alcohols may be used for the preparation of the body which is to be condensed with the body having available active methylene, some of these polyhydric alcohols beingr- Ethylene glycol C HAOHM Propylene glycol 6 H, OH), Butylene glycol (LE ()Hg, Amylene glycol "G E OH 2 Glycerol or glycerine C H (OH} ihe use of glycerine results in a superior control of the hardness and flexibility, for which reason I prefer it to the other polyhydric alcohols, and i will describe my invention specifically with respect to glycerine.

The description relating to the preparation of the so-called glyceryl carbolates and the condensation thereof with active methylene compounds, relates equally well to compounds made by combining phenol or its homologues or substitution products with other polyhydric alcohols than glycerine, allowance being made of course for the diii'erent molecular andequivalent weights in determining the reacting proportions. The term phenol subalkvl compounds as used in the claims is intended to include compounds resulting from combining phenol or its homologues or substitution products with any of the polyhydric alcohols, with the elimination of water.

The compound made by combining phenol and glycerol may have varying proportions of phenyl radical to glyceryl radical, and

may possibly be glyceryl mono-, di-, or tri- 'carbolate, or possibly mixtures of these,

which will depend of course on the proportions of reagents used and also on the reaction conditions. I am not sure that the product which results from combining glycerol and phenol is a glyceryl carbolate however. It is possible that it may be a mono-, di-, or triphenyl glycerol or phenyl glyceryl alcohol, or possibly some other type of compound. Whatever the composition of this product may be. it has characteristics which differ materially from those of either glycerol or phenol, or a mere mixture thereof. For the purpose of identifying the substance I shall hereinafter call it phenylglyceryl body.

This phenyl glyceryl body, after having been freed-from water, is condensed with some suitable body having available methylene, such for example, as formaldehyde, paraform, hexamethylenetetramin, etc.

Such condensation produces an intermediate product which is liquid at normal temperature and is not resin-like at any time, although the degree of viscosity of this liquid is controllable and it may be made to have such viscosit 1 as is most suitable for.

the particular use, while the final product made therefrom. as hereinafter described, when fully cured, may have various degrees of hardness and flexibility, ranging from a jelly-like substance to a celluloid-like sub stance. The intermediate liquid product may be used to impregnate cellular or fabric materials without the use of a solvent, if so desired, which is often the case, or it may be poured into molds or it may be mixed with any of the well known fillers such as wood flour, asbestos, cotton or wool fibers, silica, chalk, inert earths and other substances of like nature to form what may be called molding compounds, which may be formed into various shapes by any suitable method, such for example as forming in molds under pressure, and these may be subjeeted to heat. Or, when desired, it may be dissolved in a suitable solvent as for example, ethyl, methyl, or denatured alcohol, nitrobenzene, etc., to a concentration suitable for use as a varnish or lacquer. The curing into the final stage is brought about by heat either with or without the applicat1on of pressure.

My tri-carbolate may be prepared by mixing together three mols, that is 282 parts by weight, of phenol with one mol, that is 92 parts by weight of glycerine. This mixture is heated in a suitable vessel to a temperatureof 110 C. When this temperature is reached hydrochloric acid gas is introduced through a tube leading to the bottom of the liquid, the gas bubbling up being allowed to pass out of the container either to the atmosphere or into another vessel wherein it may be recovered or reused. Suitable apparatus should be provided;- if the excess gas is allowed to pass to .the atmosphere it sesame may do so through a reflux condenser, or if it is to be recovered, the container may be closed except for a connection to a second vessel where the hydrochloric acid may be recovered. The mixture in treated with the hydrochloric acid gas until it is practically saturated, although this is not essential, as only so much of the gas may be used as is necessary to take up any free water .present, either that originally in the mixture or that formed by the reaction between the phenol and the glycerol. Hydrochloric acid gas may be passed through the reaction mass during the Whole period of the reaction, but this would result in waste. When the introduction of gas is stopped, the heating is continued for one or two hours to thoroughly interact the reagents. All the hydrochloric acid is then evaporated off, which may be done at a temperature of 110 (1, until the compound tests neutral within an indicator. When neutral the compound will be found to be free from water when tested with anhydrous cupric sulphate; it is then allowed to cool to be subsequently condensed with the methylene body.

The corresponding -di-substance is prepared in the same manner as the tri-sub reagents in this case would be two mols or 188 parts by weight of phenol, to one mol, or 92 parts by weight of glycerine; and the preparation of the mono-substance is also similar, except that the phenol and glycerine are in'equi-molecular proportions, that is 94 parts by weight of phenol to 92 parts by weight of glycerine.

The above mentioned phenylglyceryl compound may also be made by using a concentrated solution of hydrochloric acid instead of the gaswith very satisfactory results, the concentrated solution being used in the proportions of about 3 to 5% of the weight of the reaction mass. The mixture may be heated at a temperature of 110 (1., say in an open vessel, the water being evaporated off with the hydrochloric acid.

The phenylglyceryl compounds may also be prepared without the use of any acid as a catalyst or dehydrating agent, by using the reagents in the proportions stated, and heat-- ing up to a temperature of from 120 to 125 (1, in a vessel provided with a reflux condenser. The removal of the water by this method takes about 30 hours with a quantity of about '500 grams whereas with the use of the acid either in solution or as gas, the action is completed in about three hours for the same quantity.

Of the three methods for making my carbolates so far described, I prefer that according to which hydrochloric acid gas is passed into the reaction mass.

These three methods are not the only ones according to which my phenylglyceryl comstance, except that the proportions of the water from the reaction mass.

pounds ma be prepared. For example, I may mix p enol and glycerine in the various proportions above set forth and use anhydrous cupric sulphate to remove the The amount of anhydrous cu pric sulphate may be calculated on the basis of five molecules of water of crystallization, but the exact amount of sulphate used is not important,v provided that it be sufficient to remove all of the water, as an excess of this dehydrating agent generally has no harmful effect. The whole quantity of the anhydrous cupric sulphate may be added at one time to themixture, which is heated to, and maintained at a. suitable temperature, for example, 110 (1, at say atmospheric pressure, or it may be added in a number of smaller quantities; as the reaction proceeds the mass turns green, ,becoming verydark 111 about two hours.

The hydrated copper sulphate is filtered from the liquid product which has ablack color, very thin films being brownish black, particularly after standing for a few days. The color seems to be dissolved in the liquid, or at least extremely finely dispersed therein as it will pass through eight thicknesses of filter paper along with the liquid, and no precipitate or coloring remains on the paper.

When this compound is condensed with bodies having available methylene, it yields a. final product having a jet black color. All of these phenylglycerl compounds are liquid and slightly viscous, and have a reddish orange color except that made with anhydrous cupric sulphate.

The various phenylglyceryl compounds differ from mere mixtures of phenol and glycerine, which is water white in color. They change to a deep reddish orange color as the reaction progresses in the case of the product made without an acid and also when the acid is used. Furthermore, a mixture of phenol and glyc'erine in exact tri-phenylglyceryl proportions will solidify at about 12 0., the tri-phenylg'lyceryl compound made without acid at about 0 (1. the tri-phenyL glyceryl compoundmade with hydrochloric acid gas at about 5 C., the di-phenylglyceryl compound made with hydrochloric acid at about 7 C., and the di-phenylglyceryl compound made with hydrochloric acid gas below -7 (l, at which temperature it shows no signs of solidifying.

My mono-, dior tri-phenylglyceryl compounds may, as stated above, be esters having the constitution indicated by where n equals 1, 2 or 3, or they may be of an alcoholic nature such as indicated by the where n also probably equals 1, 2 or 3; or they may possibly have some other constia in theoretical proportions in the preparation of the phenylglyceryl compounds from phenol and glycerine.

The glycerylphenyl com pounds, whatever their constitution may be, are then 0011- densed with a body containing available active methylene to form a glycerylphenyl condensat-ion product,w'vhich difiers as to certain features "thereof from phenolic condensation products. This condensation reaction may be completed to form a final product in one stage, but in the majority of its industrial uses, a multi-stage, preferably atwo-stage, process is preferred. I mix 100 parts by weight of the" tri-phenylglyceryl compound, 23 parts'by weight of paraform, and 2 parts by weight of ammonium carbonate in a suitable vessel fitted with a reflux condenser and open to the atmosphere, and heat the mixture to about 60 to 65 (1., until the actionofthe ammonium carbonate .becomes quiet, I then gradually increase the temperature to form to C. and maintain it thereatfor several hours, the actual time depending on the viscosity desired in viscous anhydrous liquid, insoluble in water but freely soluble in ethyl, methyl, or denatured alcohol, amyl alcohol, ether and chloroform.

The ammonium carbonate is used as an alkaline catalyst or condensing agent, and may vary in amounts over a very wide range. I have found that about 9% of ammonium carbonate based on the amount of paraform usedgives very satisfactory results, but this maybe varied about 5% more or less Without detriment to the compound. When a less amount is used, the reaction is slower, and when larger amounts are used it is accelerated. Many other catalysts, such for example as sodium phenolate, calcium phenolate, sodium hydrate, calcium oxide, potassium carbonate, etc., may be used with very good results; and the reaction may even be carried on without the addition of any catalyst at all. g

It is more or less immaterialhow the reagents and catalyst are mixed, for example, the full amount of the aldehyde and lcatalyst may be mixed in with the phenylglyceryl compound at the start. or either one,or both may be added gradually without materially changing the results.

Another factor that may be varied over a considerable range is the temperature at In the example given, if the temperature is I maintained at'70 to 75 C, for three to four hours, a thin, slightly viscous liquid may be produced, which is suitable for the mpregnation of cellular and fabric materials Without the use of any solvent to reduce its viscosity and without heating above room temperature. Should a more viscous liquid or a semi-1i uid similar to petrolatum or petroleum je ly be desired, it is only necessary to continue the same heat for a longer time. The same results may be obtained by using a higher temperature for a shorter period of time, precautions may be taken however, to maintain the temperature below that at. which the heat developed by the reaction would cause the temperature to rise so rapidly as to cause the reaction to become violent. I have found that the temperature may with safety be allowed to rise gradually until itreaches a temperature of from 100 to 105 C. after the reaction has proceeded at about C. for about one hour, and at such higher temperature a thick viscous semi-liquid can be produced in a much shorter time than at the lower temperature.

I may state here that to produce the final product by the one-stage process the tem perature may be further increased, but' this will be explained below. I may state as a general rule that any results obtained at any given temperature may also be obtained at alower or higher temperature maintained respectively over a longer or shorter period of time v This completes the first stageof my twostage process and the product obtained thereby is the basic compound used in the second stage.

My liquid or semi-liquid initial product has avariety of industrial applications.

The thin liquid may be used without a thinning solvent or without heating to thin it for the impregnation of all materials having a cellular structure, or of textile fabrics orsubstances of a porous nature. 'Avoidance of a solvent is important in the impregnation art for the reason that the drying out or evaporation of the solvent leaves the impregnated material more or less porous. With the use of my liquid product the pores may be filled and \the remain product.

I am thus able to easily control the degree ,to which I desire to fill these pores; I can' fill them completely by using my. initial product without any solvent, or I can coat the inner walls of the pores to any desired thickness or thinness by impregnating the material with a solution of my initial prodnet, the quantity of solvent to solute depending upon the thickness of the coating desired, relatively more solvent being used for thinner coatings.

It has been impossible to impregnate porous materials, textiles, etc., with phenolic condensation products without the use of a thinning solvent; for without the use of such a thinning solvent the phenolic condensation products cannot be forced-well into the cellular substances to be impregnated. The use of m initial roduct thus makes it possible to ti 1 the col s of the porous or cellular material completely xwith a solid substance, for the initial product may be. solidified in situ and this is particularly the case if the moisture, air and other fluids con-. tained in the cells are removed therefrom, which is frequentl done particularly with wood by the app ication of a vacuum or reduced pressure, after which the impregnating compound may be forced thereinto.

Furthermore, since the flexibility of my final condensation products is controllable, it is possible to produce flexible impregnated materials and articles, the flexibility of which is likewise controllable.

The partially condensed liquid or semiliquid may be dissolved in a suitable solvent and used as a varnish or lacquer, the viscosity being controlled by the amount of solvent used. The coating left after evaporation of the solvent has qualities heretofore unknown condensation products for 1t may be converted or hardened into an insoluble, infusible but flexible coating, the flexibility of which may be controlled as desired.

My initial liquid or semi-liquid condensation product may be poured directly into suitable molds which may be either open or covered and may be converted into the' final insoluble, infusible, but flexible product by mere heating, either with or without the use of pressure.

The partially condensed liquid or semiliquid may be mixed as is done with phe nolic condensation products with various substances as rubber, wood flour, asbestos, mica products, fibers, such as cotton, wool, etc., silica, graphite,'cork, etc., each lending certain desirable characteristics to the compound. The partially condensed products in these mixtures act as binders, and'when the mixture is subjected to heat are converted into an insoluble, infusible, flexible solid, firmly binding the whole into a unitrolled as follows:

a chamber prior thereto and allowed to cool completely cured, or -i If I combine mono, di, and tri-phenylglyceryl compounds with the same amount of available methylene, the mono-compound resulting will be found to be more flexible than the'correspondin di-compound, and the latter will be foun to be more flexible than the tri-compound. This difference in flexibility is considerably less, however, than that which will be observed by varying the amount of the available methylene used, this latter extending over a considerable range, as solid, infusible, flexible finished products can be obtained by using amounts of paraform varying in quantity from 8%% to 32% of the weight of the phnylglyceryl compound used; that is with the mono-com pound, I may use from 8 76 to 19% of paraform, with the di-compound from Il to'28% of paraform, and with the tri-compound from 13% to 32% of paraform, all calculated on the weight of the phenylglyceryl compound and not on the total mixture. v

The range of degrees of flexibility of the final fully condensed product can thus be made to vary very materially and may range from a roduct similar to a stiff jelly produced by t e smaller amounts of paraform, to a product similar in flexibility to tortoise shell when the large: amounts, of

paraform are used.

The hardening or curing may be brought about by the mere application of heat, and pressure may be used or not as desired.

Articles that have been impregnated with, or coated with, or made of my partially condensed compound may be place directly in a suitable oven or heating chamber that may be heated by means of gas, steam, or electricity and therein subjected to a temperature of about 100 to 105 C. for a short time, depending more'or less on the thickness of the mass to be cured. This time ordinarily may be about one to two hours. The temperature can then be adually'increased to from 120 to 125 and maintained at this temperature until the partially condensed compound is fully and the requirements 'of the use of the finished article do not demand complete polymerization or condensation the articles may be removed from the heating ing the mass to atmospheric or greater presto normal temperature. It, may be here stated that pressures above normal atmospheric pressure are never essential but are sometimes useful, as the appllcation thereof makes possible the application of a higher temperature at the beginning of the op eration whereby the total time of curing is lessened. The exacttimenecessary for the curing of an article made of, or containing my compounds cannot be definitely stated as this will depend on the temperature applied and the dimensions of the article, but it may be stated as a general rule, that the lower the temperature, the longer the curing step will be.

I have used temperatures as high as 180 C. for curing and find that if this temperature be reached gradually it will have no very great deleterious elfect; but this tends to produce a rather hard or oxidized surface which, however, might be desirable in some cases.

Articles that have been varnished or lacquered with a solution of my initial product, should be allowed to stand in the air or gently heated to a temperature below the boiling point of the solvent for the purpose of removing the solvent. They may then be placed in heating chambers and the final curing may be carried out as previously described, which requires a comparatively short time on account of the compound being in the form of a very thin film.

When my initial product'is poured into molds the curing process may be carried out as previously described, care being taken that the temperature is not allowed to-be excessive at the start when curing at atmospheric pressure, in order to avoid the formation of blisters on the surface, due to the violent formation of as in the reaction. When my initial pro uct is mixed with other substances to form plastic moldin compounds, such compounds may be place in molds and subjected to pressure in closing them for the purpose (if causing the plastic mass to conform accurately to the configuration of the mold. The shaped article may then be removed from the mold and cured in suitable heating chambers, as previously described, orthey may be cured efore removal from the mold by heatin it in any suitable manner, and the niol a may be kept opened or closed, thus subjectsure. When the molds are kept closed temperatures as high as 175 C. may be used, and the curing may be accomplished in a. relatively short length of time, say in from five to ten minutes for small articles, and a proportionately longer time for larger ones.

01', if desired, the molded articles may be partially cured in molds and then removed and finished in an oven or heating chamber.

Sheets of paper or fabric, or a great many 7 other varieties of sheets may be surface coatedwith, immersed in, or impregnated with, my initial product. They may be passed through calendar or other rolls for the purpose of removing the excess of applied compound. "The individual sheets may then be cured to the final state, or a number of such sheets may be superposed and pressed together in suitable molds and so cured, as above described, thus forming sheet material having great strength, flexibility' and resistance to chemicals.

I have set forth above a number of applications of my two-step process which is the one I generally prefer, but it is not to be considered as limited to the examples above described.

Briefly restated, my two-step process consists in reacting on my phenylglyceryl compounds with available methylene until a partial condensation or polymerization takes place, whereupon the react-ion is stopped, other substancesmay or may not be incorporated with the product so obtained, heat is applied and the condensation or polymerization nearly or wholly completed.

The method I use to obtain the final solid product in one stage is as follows :I use the same proportions and treat them in the same way as described for the two-stage process up to the point where the substances have reacted from three to four hours at 75 C. I then gradually increase the 'temperature up to 120 to 125 (1, which ordinarily should take about two hours, and I maintain this last mentioned temperature until the curing is nearly or wholly completed. The final product so obtained is a semi-transparent solid usually having a reddish orange tint and it is insoluble and infusible and of various degrees of flexibility at normal temperature,'depending upon the proportions of the various substances used;

and it is more flexible when hot than when cold.

- The final product obtained by either the one or two-stage process is exactly the same in so far as the condensation product itself is concerned but one of the advantages of the two-stage process is that substances may be mixed with the intermediate condensa tion product, all firmly bound together in one solid mass which possesses all the advantages of the well known phenolic condensation products but with the brittleness of the latter eliminated, and with a wide range of flexibility at normal room temperature which may be perfectly controlled, as above set forth. My final product is insoluble in the common solvents and is furthermore infusible, but may be made'softer and more flexible by the application of heat, but it cannot be liquefied. It may be carbonized with suflicient heat but burns in a flame very slowly and it is, therefore, a very poor supporter of combustion. It is resistant to a great many chemicals.

In my co-pending applications filed of even date herewith, Serial Numbers 502,797 and 502,798, I claim the manufacture of molded articles made'of my material and of impregnated articles impregnated with my material.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

1. The process of preparing a body for condensation with active methylene which includes causing a reaction totake place between phenol and glycerine in the presence of a dehydrating agent, and thereafter removing the dehydrating agent containing the water.

2. The process of preparing a body for condensation with active methylene which includes causing a reaction to take place between phenol and glycerine in the presence of a dehydrating agent which may be removed as a gas, and driving off water vapor along with the gaseous dehydrating agent.

3. The process of preparing a body for condensation with active methylene which includes causing a reaction to take place between phenol and glycerine while passing a gaseous dehydrating agent therethrough.

a. The process of. preparing a body for condensation with active methylene which includes heating a mixture of equivalent proportions ot'phenol and glycerine at a temperature of 110 (1, while passing hydrochloric acid gas therethrough.

5. The process which includes condensing ananhydrous phenylglyceryl compound with available methylene.

6. The process which includes causing glycerine and phenol to react with each other in the presence of a dehydrating agent and condensing the anhydrous product thereof with available methylene.

7. The process which includes causing glycerine and phenol to react with each other to form water in the presence of a dehydrating agent and condensing the anhydrous product with available methylene.

8. The process which includes condensing a triphenylglyceryl compound with a compound containing active methylene in the presence of ammonium carbonate.

9. The process which includes condensing substantially one mol of a tri-phenylglyceryl compound with a compound'having available therein substantially two and one half (2 mols of active methylene.

10. The process which includes condensing substantially one, mol of a tri-phenylglyc eryl compound with a compound having: available therein substantially two and 0311'. half (2 mols of active methylene in the presence of a condensing agent.

11. The process which includes condensing substantially one mol of a tri-phenylglyceryl compound with a compound having available therein substantially two and one half (2 mols of active methylene in the presence of an alkaline condensing agent.

12. The rocess which includes condensing substantially one mol of a tri-phenylglyceryl compound with a compound having available therein substantially two and one I half (2%) mols of active methylene in the presence ofammonium carbonate.

13. The process which includes condensing substantially one mol of a tri-phenylglyceryl compound with a compound having available therein substantially two and one halt (2 mols of active methylene in the presence of substantially three hundredths (.03) of a mol of ammonium carbonate.

14. 'lhe process which includes condcns ing a pnenylglyceryl compound with a compound containing available methylene, the

. or'uons being so chosen tum be substantially two and one hall (2%,) equivalents of methylene for three equivalents of phenyl.

15. The process which includes condensing a phenylglyceryl compound with a compound containing available methylene, the proportions being so chosen that there will be substantially two and one half (2 equivalents of methylene for three equivalents of phenyl in the presence of a condensing agent. 1

16. The process which includes condensing a phenylglyceryl compound with a compound containingavailable methylene, the proportions being so chosen that there will be substantially two and one half (2 equivalentsof' methylene for three equivalents of phenyl in the presence of an alkaline condensing agent.

17. The process which includes condensing a phenylglyceryl compound with a compound containing-available methylene, the proportions being so chosen that there will be substantially two and-one half (2 equivalents of methylene for each three equivalents of phenyl in the presence of ammonium carbonate.

18. The process which includes mixing one hundred parts by weight of a tri-phenylglyceryl compound, twenty-three parts by weight of paraform, and two parts by weight of ammonium carbonate, heating at about 60 to degrees C. and thereafter heating atabout to degrees C. until the product has the desired viscosity.

gradually increasing the temperature to from 70 to 75 degrees C. and maintaining it thereat until the product has ,the desired viscosity.

20. The condensation product of an anhydrous reaction product of phenol and glycerine and a body containing available methylene.

21. The process which includes mixing one hundred parts by weight of tri-phenylglyceryl compound, twenty-three parts by weight of parai'orm, and two parts by weight of ammonium carbonate, heating at about 60 to (35 degrees C. and then heating at about 70 to 7 5 degrees (1. until the product has the desired viscosity, arresting the reaction, manipulating the product, and then condensing the product further into a final, infusible, insoluble,-flexible product.

22. The process which includes mixing one hundred parts by weight of tri-phenylglyceryl compound, twenty-three parts by weight of paraform, and two parts by weight of ammonium carbonate, heating at about (30 to 65 degrees C. until the action ing the product, and then condensing the product further into a final, infusible, insoluble, flexible product.

23. The process of making an infusible, insoluble, flexible final'condensation product which includes causing a reaction to take place between phenol and glycerine with the j'ormation of water, removing the water, condensing the resulting product with an active methylene body, the proportions of phenol to glyceriue being varied between one to three mols of phenol to one mol of glyccrine, to vary the flexibility of the final product.

'24. The process of making an infusible, insoluble, flexible final condensation product which includes causing a reaction to take place between phenol and glycerine with the formaton of water, removing the water, and condensing the resulting product with an active methylene body, the amount of active methylene being varied to correspond to 8 to 32% of 'paraform with respect to the weight of the phenylglyceryl reaction product, to vary the flexibility of the final product. 7 y

25. The process of making an infusible, insoluble, flexible final condensation product, which includes causing a reaction to take place between phenol and'glycerine with the ful'll'ltll'lfll) of water, removing the water,

one to three mols of phenolto one mol of glycerine, and the amount of active methylene being varied to correspond to 8 A;% to 32% of paraform with respect to the weight of the phenylglyceryl reaction product, to vary the flexibility of the final product.

26. The process of making an infusible, insoluble, flexible final condensation product which includes heating a phenylglyceryl compound with a compound containing available methylene at about 60 to 7 5 degrees C. until the product has the desired viscosity, manipulating the product and then heating it at 100 to 105 C. at atmospheric pressure, and then heating it at 120 to 125 C. at atmospheric pressure.

27; The process of making an infusible, insoluble, flexible, linal condensation product, which includes heating a phenylglyceryl compound with a compound containing available methylene, the proportions being so chosen that there will be about 2%; equivalents of methylene for each equivalent of phenyl, at about 60 to 7 5 C. until the product has the desired viscosity, manipulating the product and then heating it at 100 to 105 C. at atmospheric pressure and then heating it at 120 to 125 C. at atmospheric pressure.

28. The process of making an infusihle, insoluble, flexible final condensation product which includes mixing one hundred parts by weight of a tri-phenylglyceryl' compound, twenty-three parts by weight of paraform, and two parts by weight of ammonium carbonate, heating at about 60 to C. until the action of the ammonium carbonate becomes quiet, gradually increasing the temperature to to C. and maintaining it thereat until the product has the desired viscosity, manipulating the product, and thensubjecting it to a temperature of about 100 to 105 C. for a short time at atmospheric pressure. 1

20. The process of making an infusible, insoluble flexible final condensation product which includes mixing one hundred parts by weight of a tri-phenylglyceryl compound, twenty-three parts by weight of paraform, and two parts by weight of ammonium carbonate. heating at about (30 to 65 C. until the action of the ammonium carbonate becomes quiet, graduallv increasing the temperature from 70 to 75 C. and maintaining it thereat until the product has the desired viscosity, manipulating the product, and then subjecting it to a temperature of about 100 to 105 C. for a short time at atmos' pherie pressnre,then gradually increasing the temperature to and maintaining it at 120 to 125 C. at atmospheric pressure until the product is sufficiently cured.

30. The process of preparing a body for condensation with active methylene which tween phenol and a polyhydric alcohol in the presence of a dehydrating agent which may be removed as a gas, and driving off water vapor along with the gaseous dehyd rating agent.

32. The process of preparing a body for condensation with active methylene which includes causing a reaction to take place be-..

air

tween phenol and a polyhydric alcohol while 53 passing a gaseous dehydrating agent therethrough.

33. The process of preparing a body for condensation with active methylene which includes heating a mixture of equivalent proportions of phenol and a polyhydric alcohol at a temperature of 110 (1., while passing hydrochloric acid gas therethrough.

34. The process which includes condensing an anhydrous phenylsubalkyl compound with available methylene.

35. The process which includes causing a polyhydric alcohol and phenol to 'react with each other in the presence of a dyhydrating agent and condensing the anhydrous product thereof with available methylene.

36. The process which includes condensing a phenylsubalkyl compound with a compound containing available methylene, the proportions being so chosen that there will be substantially two and one halt equivalents of methylene for three equivalents of phenyl.

37. The process which includes condensing a phenylsubalkyl compound with a com.- pound containing available methylene, the proportions being so chosen that there will be substantially two and one-half (2 equivalents of methylene for three equivalents of phenyl in the presence of a con- (lensing agent.

38. The process which includes condensing a phenylsubalkyl compound witha compound containing available methylene, the proportions being so chosen that there will be substantially two and one-half (2 equivalents of methylene for three equivalents of phenyl in the presence of an alkaline condensing agent.

'39. The process which includes condensing a phenylsubalkyl compound with a compound containing availablennethylene, the proportions being so chosen that there will be substantially two and one-half (2 equivalents of methylene for each three equivalents in the presence of ammonium carbona e.

40'. A condensation product of an anhy- 41. The process of making an infusible,

insoluble, flexible final condensation product which includes causing a reaction, to take place between phenol and a polyhydric alcohol with the formation of water, removing the water, condensing the resulting product with an active methylene body, the proportions of phenol to polyhydric alcohol bein varied between one to three mols of pheno to one mol of polyhydric alcohol, to vary the flexibility of the final product.

42. The. process of making an infusible, insoluble, flexible final condensation product which includes causing a reaction to take place between henol and a polyhydric alcohol with the ormation of water, removing the water, and condensin the resulting product with an active met iylene body, theamount of active methylene being varied to correspond to 8 5% to 32% of paraform with respect to the weight of the phenyl subalkyl reaction product, to vary the flexibility of the final product.

43. The process of making an infusible,in-

soluble, flexible final condensation product,

which includes causing areaction to take lace between phenol and a polyhydric alcohol withthe' formation of water, removing the water, and condensin the resulting product with an active me ylene body, the

proportions of polyhydric alcohol to phenol being varied between one to three mols of phenol to one mol of polyhydric alcohol, and the amount of active methylene being varied to correspond to 8 to 32% 'of paraform with. respect to the weight of the phenylsubalkyl reaction product, to-vary' t e flexibility of the final product.

44. The process of making an infusible, insoluble flexible final condensation product which includes heating a phenylsubalkyl com ound with a compound containing" so chosen that there will be about 2 equivalents of methylene for each equivalent of phenyl, at about to C. until the product has the desired viscositv, manipulating the product and then heating it at to C. at atmospheric pressure and" then heating it at to C. at atmospheric pressure.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my slgnature.

EDWARD L. AIKEN. 

